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How good is John Lewis??
Hey
Just registered myself to John Lewis for buying gifts since I started buying from them to give gifts to Family for Christmas.
It states there are benefits.
What are the free rewards etc that I can find on John Lewis?
Maybe your experience could help me navigate as I shop through
Just registered myself to John Lewis for buying gifts since I started buying from them to give gifts to Family for Christmas.
It states there are benefits.
What are the free rewards etc that I can find on John Lewis?
Maybe your experience could help me navigate as I shop through
JMV2020
How good is John Lewis??
imo not good
It's slogan "Never Knowingly Undersold" is and has been for countless years the biggest lie in retail.
You will pay way over the odds imo for anything you buy.
It survives because it has a following of people who feel slightly "upmarket" if they buy there. It's a silly pompous thing.
As they say, "fools and their money are easily parted".
Original post by PilgrimOfTruth
It's slogan "Never Knowingly Undersold" is
It's slogan "Never Knowingly Undersold" is
They don't have such a slogan.
Like, where is a slogan like that on their website...?
Original post by PilgrimOfTruth
It's slogan "Never Knowingly Undersold" is and has been for countless years the biggest lie in retail.
It wasn't a slogan, nor was it a lie - it was a price guarantee, which they actually abandoned in August 2022
Original post by JVM2020
Hey
Just registered myself to John Lewis for buying gifts since I started buying from them to give gifts to Family for Christmas.
It states there are benefits.
What are the free rewards etc that I can find on John Lewis?
Maybe your experience could help me navigate as I shop through
Just registered myself to John Lewis for buying gifts since I started buying from them to give gifts to Family for Christmas.
It states there are benefits.
What are the free rewards etc that I can find on John Lewis?
Maybe your experience could help me navigate as I shop through
Probably the biggest disappointment is the diminution in quality at JL over the past 10 years. It used to be reliably good quality at a sensible price: it's now overpriced Chinese tat masquerading as 'quality goods', plus ridiculously-priced items like ceiling lights for £4500, or rugs for £3800. The bit in the middle - where most people shop - is entirely absent.
Original post by Quady
They don't have such a slogan.
Like, where is a slogan like that on their website...?
Like, where is a slogan like that on their website...?
Yes they do. It's been their slogan for years and in all their adverts.
However times must be getting hard as they are now withdrawing the slogan. See here:
https://www.johnlewis.com/customer-services/prices-and-payment/never-knowingly-undersold
"Never Knowingly Undersold
We’ve now retired our Never Knowingly Undersold policy.
As of 23 August 2022, we no longer accept price match claims with our competitors."
John Lewis has had to close a number of stores since the pandemic too.
It is and always has been a ridiculously expensive store. Some examples plucked at random:
Simplehuman Liner Peddle Bin 55L
John Lewis - £179.99
https://www.johnlewis.com/simplehuman-liner-pocket-pedal-bin-brushed-stainless-steel-55l/p5106571
CostCo - £149.98 which also includes another small Simplehuman peddle bin 4.5L
https://www.costco.co.uk/Home-Kitchen/Kitchen-Dining/Kitchen-Bins/simplehuman-55L-Pedal-Bin-45L-Pedal-Bin/p/353606
Samsonite Magnum Eco Spinner 69cm 4-Wheel Medium Suitcase, Graphite
John Lewis - £189
https://www.johnlewis.com/samsonite-magnum-eco-spinner-69cm-4-wheel-medium-suitcase/p5545659
Fenwick - £179
https://www.fenwick.co.uk/home-and-tech/luggage/suitcases/magnum-eco-spinner-69cm/2530021802966.html
Snuggledown Natural Duck Feather and Down Duvet, 10.5 Tog, King
John Lewis - £105
https://www.johnlewis.com/snuggledown-natural-duck-feather-and-down-duvet-10-5-tog/p5444035?size=king-225-x-220cm
Amazon - £74.09
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LYH2ENO/ref=twister_B0B5VK6C89?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Sleepseeker - £76.50
https://www.sleepseeker.co.uk/snuggledown-scandinavian-duck-feather-&-down-10-5-tog-king-size-all-year-round-duvet.html
Philips 4.6W GU10 LED Non Dimmable Spotlight Bulb, Warm White, Set of 3
John Lewis - £11.19 FOR 3 BULBS
https://www.johnlewis.com/philips-4-6w-gu10-led-non-dimmable-spotlight-bulb-warm-white-set-of-3/p5435823
Toolstation - £12.98 FOR 6 BULBS !
https://www.toolstation.com/philips-led-gu10-glass-lamp/p22577
It really doesn't matter what item you pick, if it is branded (i.e.not John Lewis's own brand) then you'll be paying anywhere from 10% - 30% over the odds. It's always been like this.
The "Never Knowingly Undersold" slogan they've always had was always a total joke. They rely on the fact that most people aren't going to go to the customer service desk to say "look I can buy this a lot cheaper elsewhere".
(edited 11 months ago)
Original post by PilgrimOfTruth
Yes they do. It's been their slogan for years and in all their adverts.
However times must be getting hard as they are now withdrawing the slogan. See here:
https://www.johnlewis.com/customer-services/prices-and-payment/never-knowingly-undersold
"Never Knowingly Undersold
We’ve now retired our Never Knowingly Undersold policy.
As of 23 August 2022, we no longer accept price match claims with our competitors."
However times must be getting hard as they are now withdrawing the slogan. See here:
https://www.johnlewis.com/customer-services/prices-and-payment/never-knowingly-undersold
"Never Knowingly Undersold
We’ve now retired our Never Knowingly Undersold policy.
As of 23 August 2022, we no longer accept price match claims with our competitors."
Just to check...
...the source you're using to show they have a slogan of 'Never knowingly undersold' is one that says that they don't have such a policy?
You say they are 'now withdrawing the slogan. Again, your source says it was retired months ago. Presumably it was withdrawn then not now?
(edited 11 months ago)
They are good for some electricals as they give a 2 year guarantee compared to Apple (as an example) giving just one and item priced the same
Original post by PilgrimOfTruth
It really doesn't matter what item you pick, if it is branded (i.e.not John Lewis's own brand) then you'll be paying anywhere from 10% - 30% over the odds. It's always been like this.
It really doesn't matter what item you pick, if it is branded (i.e.not John Lewis's own brand) then you'll be paying anywhere from 10% - 30% over the odds. It's always been like this.
Well if you can find this cheaper then you're doing better than me (unless inlike me youre not in the market for a cooker)
https://www.johnlewis.com/stoves-richmond-600df-dual-fuel-range-cooker/black/p3518029?s_appdroid=1
Original post by ReadingMum
They are good for some electricals as they give a 2 year guarantee compared to Apple (as an example) giving just one and item priced the same
This has been a "sleight of hand" that they've enjoyed using for many years. The "2 year guarantee" on electricals.
The actual fact is that ANYTHING ELECTRICAL you bought in the UK whilst we were a member of the EU had to be sold with a 2 year guarantee.
Thus anything you bought at Currys or supermarkets or elsewhere (that was electrical), no matter if they said it came with a 1 yr guarantee, WAS ALWAYS MANDATED TO BE a 2 yr guarantee under EU rules which at the time the UK was bound by. Lots of UK people never knew this and business exploited that ignorance. However the people "in the know" would return faulty items to places like Curry's after the first year and when Curry's said "sorry sir it only has a 1 yr guarantee" the savvy people would remind them that they HAVE to abide by EU rules and provide a 2 yr guarantee. Curry's wold then have to take the returned item and either fix it or give the customer their money back.
John Lewis offering a special 2yr guarantee was for me nothing of the sort. EU rules dictated that electrical items had to be sold with a 2yr guarantee whether they liked it or not.
Of course we are now out of the EU so those rules no longer apply I assume.
Two-year warranty (EU law)
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1677034/Two-year-warranty-EU-law.html
(edited 11 months ago)
Original post by Quady
Well if you can find this cheaper then you're doing better than me (unless inlike me youre not in the market for a cooker)
https://www.johnlewis.com/stoves-richmond-600df-dual-fuel-range-cooker/black/p3518029?s_appdroid=1
https://www.johnlewis.com/stoves-richmond-600df-dual-fuel-range-cooker/black/p3518029?s_appdroid=1
Sorry but "Reduced To Clear" items are not an intellectually honest way to compare retail businesses. Every business will have a small line of products they want to shift and so are in the sale. On a general basis what I have said stands. If you buy a branded product at John Lewis you'll be paying over the odds for it imo.
Original post by PilgrimOfTruth
Sorry but "Reduced To Clear" items are not an intellectually honest way to compare retail businesses. Every business will have a small line of products they want to shift and so are in the sale. On a general basis what I have said stands. If you buy a branded product at John Lewis you'll be paying over the odds for it imo.
On a general basis isn't what's currently sitting in my John Lewis 'wish list' though.
Original post by Quady
On a general basis isn't what's currently sitting in my John Lewis 'wish list' though.
This thread isn't about your wish list. It's about whether John Lewis is any good or not.
Original post by PilgrimOfTruth
This thread isn't about your wish list. It's about whether John Lewis is any good or not.
Ah right.
Pretty good then because:
- They have a store in walking distance to me;
- They are cheapest at the time for everything I buy;
- They give cake and hot chocolate away pretty regularly.
Unfortunately the group suffered under the pandemic lockdowns as many businesses did :
The retail group confirmed a loss of £517m for 2020-21 compared to a £146m profit the year before.
It closed 16 of its stores in 2020-2021
Large businesses like these can not imo survive on the tiny subsection of "Reduced To Clear" bargains that appear from time to time. The continuing rise in general costs (food, products, services etc) will imo make it increasingly difficult for John Lewis to compete with well established online companies who invariably offer branded products far cheaper than John Lewis do and do so on a regular basis.
I personally think the past success of John Lewis was vested in its actual stores which as I said earlier created the "big department store" experience and fostered a kind of silly pious snobbishness among its clientele. However that kind of selling point is somewhat archaic now in today's internet shopping world and thus I don't personally expect JL to survive in the coming years which will see most people terribly strapped for disposable income. People will be locked into mortgages , house prices will plummet leaving them in negative equity, fuel prices will continue to soar as the reserves of oil start to run out and so on. John Lewis will have to drastically adapt its business model to have any chance of competing with the online world.
It does of course have internet presence, online shopping but unless you're specifically looking for a JL own branded product I can't really see why anyone would have cause to go to their website. Whatever other branded products I would be looking for I know will be far cheaper elsewhere.
Poster "Reality Check" above has really nailed the problem that John Lewis has.
So the ridiculously-priced items are just not going to be relevant as the country further slips into recession and poverty. That kind of audience won't exist in enough numbers to keep the business afloat. Dropping the quality of products in general to "Chinese tat" is simply going to alienate the longer-standing snobby clientele who will drop away and go elsewhere and thus the retail group is certain to struggle. What are they left with? Not much that I can see. They will have to drastically change the business model and re-launch themselves as a business that serves the wider majority of the available customer base, which will be people with little spare income and who want bargains. Do you see John Lewis competing with say B&M and Home Bargains? I don't.
Home Bargains achieved a turnover of £2.7bn for the 12 months to 30 June 2020, up from £2.4bn during the prior period. Its pre-tax profits also grew from £232.9m to £262.7m.
In documents filed with Companies House, the company said it is aiming to eventually have between 800 and 1,000 stores and employ 40,000 people. At the end of the financial year, the business had 525 stores
John Lewis only now has 36 stores having closed 16 in 2020-2021.
By all accounts John Lewis is now imo a dinosaur facing extinction in a world where people are increasingly focused on simply surviving and keeping their head above water and needing the basics at fair prices rather than over-priced decadence.
I'll make a prediction now that John Lewis will be gone by 2030. Make a note and we'll come back in 8 years time.
The retail group confirmed a loss of £517m for 2020-21 compared to a £146m profit the year before.
It closed 16 of its stores in 2020-2021
Large businesses like these can not imo survive on the tiny subsection of "Reduced To Clear" bargains that appear from time to time. The continuing rise in general costs (food, products, services etc) will imo make it increasingly difficult for John Lewis to compete with well established online companies who invariably offer branded products far cheaper than John Lewis do and do so on a regular basis.
I personally think the past success of John Lewis was vested in its actual stores which as I said earlier created the "big department store" experience and fostered a kind of silly pious snobbishness among its clientele. However that kind of selling point is somewhat archaic now in today's internet shopping world and thus I don't personally expect JL to survive in the coming years which will see most people terribly strapped for disposable income. People will be locked into mortgages , house prices will plummet leaving them in negative equity, fuel prices will continue to soar as the reserves of oil start to run out and so on. John Lewis will have to drastically adapt its business model to have any chance of competing with the online world.
It does of course have internet presence, online shopping but unless you're specifically looking for a JL own branded product I can't really see why anyone would have cause to go to their website. Whatever other branded products I would be looking for I know will be far cheaper elsewhere.
Poster "Reality Check" above has really nailed the problem that John Lewis has.
Reality Check
diminution in quality at JL over the past 10 years. It used to be reliably good quality at a sensible price: it's now overpriced Chinese tat masquerading as 'quality goods', plus ridiculously-priced items like ceiling lights for £4500, or rugs for £3800. The bit in the middle - where most people shop - is entirely absent.
So the ridiculously-priced items are just not going to be relevant as the country further slips into recession and poverty. That kind of audience won't exist in enough numbers to keep the business afloat. Dropping the quality of products in general to "Chinese tat" is simply going to alienate the longer-standing snobby clientele who will drop away and go elsewhere and thus the retail group is certain to struggle. What are they left with? Not much that I can see. They will have to drastically change the business model and re-launch themselves as a business that serves the wider majority of the available customer base, which will be people with little spare income and who want bargains. Do you see John Lewis competing with say B&M and Home Bargains? I don't.
Home Bargains achieved a turnover of £2.7bn for the 12 months to 30 June 2020, up from £2.4bn during the prior period. Its pre-tax profits also grew from £232.9m to £262.7m.
In documents filed with Companies House, the company said it is aiming to eventually have between 800 and 1,000 stores and employ 40,000 people. At the end of the financial year, the business had 525 stores
John Lewis only now has 36 stores having closed 16 in 2020-2021.
By all accounts John Lewis is now imo a dinosaur facing extinction in a world where people are increasingly focused on simply surviving and keeping their head above water and needing the basics at fair prices rather than over-priced decadence.
I'll make a prediction now that John Lewis will be gone by 2030. Make a note and we'll come back in 8 years time.
(edited 11 months ago)
Original post by PilgrimOfTruth
I'll make a prediction now that John Lewis will be gone by 2030. Make a note and we'll come back in 8 years time.
Mate, that would require TSR to still be here in 2030 as well...
I agree with your analysis by the way.
Original post by Reality Check
Mate, that would require TSR to still be here in 2030 as well...
Haha indeed !
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